Indonesia’s central bank is urging iPhone users to remain patient as negotiations with Apple continue over access to Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, a key component for enabling the country’s latest QRIS Tap contactless payment system on Apple devices. While QRIS Tap has seen growing adoption among Android users, iPhone compatibility remains elusive due to Apple’s restrictions on third-party NFC access.
Bank Indonesia (BI) first launched QRIS Tap in March 2025 as an evolution of the existing QRIS system, which previously relied on scanning QR codes. QRIS Tap allows users to complete transactions by simply tapping their phones against a payment terminal, utilizing NFC technology for faster and more convenient payments. The system has gained traction, particularly in the transportation, hotel, and restaurant sectors.
As of February 23, 2026, QRIS Tap has processed over 475,000 transactions, representing a monthly growth rate of 7.9 percent, according to BI. The total transaction value reached approximately 4.6 billion Indonesian Rupiah, a 6.4 percent increase month-over-month. Despite this growth, the inability of iPhones to utilize the feature represents a significant gap in Indonesia’s digital payment infrastructure.
“iPhone QRIS users are asked to be patient as Apple has not yet opened its NFC feature. It only opens for Apple Pay,” said Filianingsih Hendarta, a Deputy Governor at BI, in a recent statement. She explained that the issue isn’t with Indonesia’s payment infrastructure or the readiness of QRIS Tap itself, but rather with Apple’s policy of limiting NFC access on iPhones to its own Apple Pay service.
BI officials confirmed that representatives from both Apple Indonesia and Apple’s headquarters have engaged in discussions with the central bank regarding the possibility of opening NFC access to support QRIS Tap. “Apple Indonesia and headquarters have arrive and they will delve into the QRIS Tap feature to see the possibility of opening its NFC feature as they have done in the European Union,” Hendarta added.
The central bank announced earlier that QRIS users have surpassed 60 million, achieving its 2026 target ahead of schedule. BI aims to process 17 billion QRIS transactions and onboard 45 million merchants this year. The expansion of QRIS also includes cross-border cooperation, with existing acceptance in several Southeast Asian countries, Japan, and parts of the Middle East, and planned expansion to China, South Korea, and India, with South Korea scheduled to commence implementation in April 2026.
However, no firm timeline has been established for when QRIS Tap will grow available on iPhones. The outcome hinges on Apple’s decision regarding opening NFC access for third-party applications in Indonesia, a policy that currently restricts full NFC access for local applications.